In this post, you will learn how to prepare African Salad. Plus, you’ll learn the health benefits of African salad, see pictures of African Salad, and learn about the African salad ingredients, and a little history of African salad.
If you would like to learn how to cook African Salad, keep reading.
Page Contents
What is African Salad?
African Salad, commonly known as Cassava Noodles, Abacha, Abacha Ncha, Abacha, and Ugba, is a traditional snack or an appetizer usually served to very important persons on special occasions or festivals. The name African salad was coined because this cuisine contains lots of fresh & raw vegetables that are eaten with cooking or applying heat.
This meal is easy to prepare and can be made with or without heat (fire).
Abacha is made from dried shredded cassava and can be eaten as a main course meal but is usually taken as a snack. Abacha can be eaten as a vegan diet with other snacks such as coconut, palm kernel, garden egg, or groundnut, or can be taken with fish, egg, or any meat of your choice.
Abacha is simply dried shredded cassava. It is a byproduct of cassava. After harvest, the cassava is peeled, diced, and soaked in water for about 20 hours, washed to remove the excess starch, and Sun-dried, where it is transformed into Abacha. A few other ingredients are added to make this mouthwatering appetizer.
How African Salad Is Processed
African Salad is processed from harvested cassava tubers. Which is peeled, washed, and cooked. The Cassava is shredded into fine thin slices and soaked overnight to thoroughly reduce the starch and hydrogen cyanide in the cassava (fermentation). The shredded and fermented cassava is washed the following day thoroughly and then sundried for 2-3 days.
African Salad Nutrition Value
African salad contains different ingredients rich in protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. Recent studies have proven that a well-prepared African salad can prevent and treat poor sight, glaucoma, obesity, heart diseases, microbial infections including Staphylococcus aureus, colon cancer, and other chronic diseases. Abacha also is filled with antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. It also helps in cellular regeneration and restoring dead cells.
Abacha is rich in potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, iron(haem and non-haem iron contained in meat, fish, and poultry), protein, zinc, phosphorous, and several vitamins, and minerals. This meal contributes 18.7% energy, 22.7% protein, 21.3% crude fiber, 51.3% iron, 30.3% phosphorus, and 36% zinc. Abacha is also rich in nutrients contained in other ingredients such as crayfish, chili pepper, palm oil, garden egg leaves, potash, stockfish, and garden eggs.
Ingredients For African Salad
Here is a list of ingredients needed to prepare a tasty African Salad.
- 5 handfuls Abacha (dried shredded cassava)
- 1 cups Ugba (Ukpaka)
- 2 cups Palm oil (red oil)
- 2 Cooking spoons of ground crayfish
- 2 tablespoons edible powdered potash (food tenderizer)
- 10 cuts of goat meat
- 4 handfuls of Utazi leaves or garden egg leaves
- Fried Mackerel & Dry Fish
- 2 large Onion
- A handful of garden eggs – About 6 to 10
- Salt (to taste)
- 2 medium-sized chilly pepper
- 1 teaspoon of dried pepper
- 2 stock cubes (Maggi)
- 1 teaspoon ground Ehu seeds (Calabash Nutmeg)
- 1 teaspoon of Ogiri (local seasonings)
- 1 teaspoon of Okpeyi (fermented locust beans)
How To Cook African Salad
To prepare a tasty African Salad, you’ll have to
1. Put the powdered potash in a cup or bowl and pour about 1 cup of cold water, leave it to dissolve, sieve away the particles, and set the water aside for later use.
2. Prepare a spicy sauce with goat meat, fried mackerel, and dry fish and set aside.
3. Prepare the Ehu seed. To do this,
4. Soak the Abacha (dried shredded cassava) in 3 liters of cold water and leave for 10 minutes or pour 3 liters of boiled water on the Abacha and stir firmly for 3 minutes. This will soften the Abacha and bring out its beauty, a pure white color. You should also wash the Ugba/Ukpaka with lukewarm water. Sieve the both of them and set them aside.
5. Blend the Ehu seeds, Okpeyi, Ogiri, crayfish, one onion & pepper till it forms a paste.
6. Pour your oil into a pot, introduce the dissolved potash water, and stir firmly. The color would transform from red to orange and become a paste.
7. Add the blended mixture to #5 and stir firmly.
The key to making a delicious African Salad is to ensure that all the ingredients are evenly mixed. Especially #5 and #7.
There are a lot of items to add, and most of them were prepared and set aside. If you should do everything at once and just mix up the whole thing without hesitating, you will ruin the whole meal.
8. Add the Abacha and Ugba/Ukpaka (#4) to the mixture in the pan, and add your stock cubes, dried pepper, and salt. Stir evenly.
9. Remove your meat and fish from the sauce. Don’t pour the sauce into the Abacha; just take out the meat and fish. It’s okay if it has some of the sauce on it. Place in the Abacha pot.
10. Finally, stir and simmer for not more than a minute (60 seconds). Slice your remaining onion into rings and leave it on the meal. This is probably the Easiest African Salad Dressing.
Serving – 5 People
Cooking Time – 30 minutes
And you’re all set. It is not a long process at all. This is how you prepare a tasty African Salad (Abacha). It takes about 30 minutes to prepare and is enough for four people.
Conclusion
Mastering the art of preparing African Salad, also known as Abacha, involves a delightful journey into the rich culinary heritage of African cuisine. With attention to the steps and ingredients outlined, you’re set to create a flavorful and authentic dish that celebrates the diverse flavors of the continent.